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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26164420">Of safety husbands and safety wives (in security blankets)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/UselessAnimal/pseuds/UselessAnimal'>UselessAnimal</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Safety husband / wife trope, marriage pact</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 02:46:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,913</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26164420</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/UselessAnimal/pseuds/UselessAnimal</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dan is turning 30.<br/>He has a job which is more or less satisfying. He has a roof over his head, an apartment that is all things considered not too bad. He has Phil – his best friend in the world.  He has an extensive video game collection, as well as a meticulously created island on Animal Crossing.<br/>And apparently, he also has an ex, who shows up right after his 30s birthday because of the marriage pact they made when they were younger. </p>
<p>Now what Dan needs, is to have a plan for the future.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dan Howell &amp; Phil Lester, Dan Howell/Original Female Character(s), Dan Howell/Phil Lester</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Oh hello! <br/>This idea popped into my head and these days I try to put my ideas on paper – well, on word file more like.<br/>And yeah, since Dan is turning 30 in this fic, we are either moving his birth year or we are moving one year into the future – you decide :D<br/>But since this is a fanfic and even more so an AU, nothing matters.<br/>Happy reading!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The beginning of June was so cold this year. Dan was shivering in his jacket, which he stupidly enough had grabbed instead of the thicker one when he left the house. He was also stupidly standing outside waiting for his taxi, when he could have stayed in the atrium of the BBC building, because these days you could see where your taxi was on an app on your phone. God bless the technological advancements. So much had changed during these last 10 years. Not only in the technological world, although wow was it wonderful.</p>
<p>No, this decade of life which was about to end tomorrow was a very bright one for Dan. There was probably a reason they called it the roaring twenties. It wasn’t just about the decade a century ago. Dan had experienced his roaring twenties in all their glory.</p>
<p>Through the disastrous attempt of going to uni to study law, through dropping out and spending two years working shitty jobs trying to get some youtube content off the ground and failing miserably. Finally getting into the radio stuff, first just as an assistant, then actually slowly learning and growing, helping the other Djs and now even having his own small show. Apparently his voice was made for radio. Who would’ve thought watching Winnie the Pooh when he was 5 would get him here.</p>
<p>He looked at his phone once more. His taxi was 3 minutes away and it was 11:31 pm.</p>
<p>In a half an hour the birthday wishes would pour in and in the morning there would be a call from his parents and brother, probably a breakfast with Phil.  </p>
<p>Dan was turning 30.</p>
<p>It wasn’t as scary as he had imagined once when he was a kid. Then he sort of thought that life ended around 25, but to be fair, Dan’s had started around that time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His phone informed him that the taxi was pulling up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>When he finally entered his apartment, smell of chocolate permeated his senses.</p>
<p>“You didn’t have to wait up.” Dan said, locking the doors behind him and putting his keys in the bowl by the door.</p>
<p>“<em>Wait up </em>as if we don’t go to sleep more towards 3 am.” Phil said what sounded like from the kitchen. There were some sounds of cupboards opening and closing.</p>
<p>Dan went to the kitchen and was greeted by a sight of Phil opening a bag of marshmallows with his teeth.</p>
<p> “What are you up to?”</p>
<p>“A little midnight snack, do you want some?” Phil put some marshmallows in the cup in front of him and then extended it to Dan. Hot chocolate. <em>Yes</em>.</p>
<p>“Yes.” He said out loud too. The drink smelled too nice to decline and would probably warm him up in an instant. He took a sip and watched Phil search for another cup for himself. “How was your evening?”</p>
<p>“Just watching some TV. Wanted to do some work on my projects but couldn’t focus and now it’s too late so meh, here we are.” Phil sighed.</p>
<p>Phil was doing freelance video editing while simultaneously trying to get his own stuff out there. Dan knew all about the struggle of trying to balance out the passion projects and the stuff that kept the lights on and the food in the fridge. That’s how they had bonded in the beginning – both enthusiastic about making videos, about making something of value, something significant. Too bad youtube was a harsh public and sometimes your best isn’t enough.</p>
<p>Phil though, unlike Dan, didn’t seem to let it get him down. He still had this deep passion for making his own films never mind how small, never mind how tiny the public. Dan admired his optimism.</p>
<p>“Are you joining me?” Phil said, having made his drink, stepping towards the living room.</p>
<p>“Yes, what are we watching?”</p>
<p>“I am in the middle of this kinda fascinating show about houses. They are building odd houses in odd locations. Here they are renovating an abandoned factory, how awesome is that?”</p>
<p>Phil and his shows. The guy had a talent finding all of the possible shows and watching them all. Dan couldn’t help but be pulled in though. He was sipping his warm beverage, sitting beside a warm Phil. He couldn’t imagine a better way to end a decade than that.</p>
<p>All those years ago Phil was… well Phil was there for Dan. And somehow he was always there. And kept being there. And then Dan moved in with him and now they both were here.</p>
<p>What <em>here</em> was, Dan wasn’t so sure. He tried not to overthink this. They were best friends living together. Nothing simpler than that. It was comfortable. It was nice. Just as long as Dan didn’t overthink it.</p>
<p>Phil suddenly paused the show, startling Dan out of his thoughts. He turned to Phil questioningly.</p>
<p>“Wait, wait.” Phil said while holding his phone in his hand looking down on the clock on the display. “Three, two one…Happy birthday!”</p>
<p>Phil stretched his arms out to hug him.</p>
<p>“You dork.” Dan said rolling his eyes fondly and returning the hug.</p>
<p>“Here.” Phil said, giving him a small envelope “Your birthday gift.”</p>
<p>Dan opened the envelope, curious. He felt his fingers touching some glossy paper, impatiently he pulled it out and read ….</p>
<p> “Phil!” that sound could probably summon the dolphins and would wake up the neighbors surely. “How did you know?”</p>
<p>Tickets to Troye Sivan.</p>
<p>“I know you were so upset about the last time, when you got sick and couldn’t go.” Phil shrugged “And he just announced the tour so it was too perfect not to.”</p>
<p>Tickets to <em>Troye Sivan</em>. In London.</p>
<p>“This is so…” Dan didn’t have the words; it felt so nice to be known like that. “Thank you.”</p>
<p>“Of course.” Phil said, squeezing his hand a bit and then letting go of him entirely. “You can take me with you, if you don’t have anyone else in mind.”</p>
<p>“Of course I am going to take you, you spoon. Who else am I going to go with?”</p>
<p>“Who knows, you might change your mind, this thing is months away.”</p>
<p>“Never.” Dan said solemnly.</p>
<p>He put the tickets back into the envelope; put them on the coffee table, reminding himself to put them away for safekeeping until the happy day. Indeed no better way to meet a new decade.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>When Dan woke up in the morning, it was from the sound of his phone pinging. It had been doing that for quite some time already and Dan cursed himself for not remembering to turn off the sound.</p>
<p>Dan unlocked his phone, squinting a bit at the too bright screen in the too dark room. Apparently this june 11<sup>th</sup> was overcast. Nothing new there.</p>
<p>He took in the amount of messages.  </p>
<p>He was flooded by the sense of gratitude for everyone who took the time to send him their birthday greetings. And they didn’t <em>call, </em>Dan especially appreciated that.</p>
<p>Friends, co-workers, family. It was all so sweet.</p>
<p>Caught up in texting back, he didn’t even notice the name of the person sending the next message.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Happy birthday Dan! All of the best wishes to you.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>P.S Wanna meet up some time? </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lea.</p>
<p>Lea. Huh.</p>
<p>He wasn’t even sure how her number had survived in his phone for the last 5 or 6 years. Or was it 7? They haven’t talked in so long, why suddenly? And meet up?</p>
<p>Since they broke up they had drifted apart, although both had sincerely wanted to stay friends.</p>
<p>And Dan vaguely remembered the day when she broke up with him, telling him they were too young and…</p>
<p>Dan sat up in the bed, suddenly more awake.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh shit.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> The <em>deal. </em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So here is a new chapter! <br/>Took longer than I expected, but here we are.<br/>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>
    <em>Unspecified August day too long ago. </em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Hi” Lea said, when he walked up to where she was sitting in the café. The light was shining into the room and she had chosen a table just outside of the sunrays. She was so beautiful. Dan still couldn’t believe he was this lucky. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Hi, you worried me with that text, is everything alright?” he asked. She had wanted to meet up with him out of the blue, even though they had a date planned for the next day. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“I just wanted to talk for a second.” she said, sighing. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Ok?” it didn’t sound like anything good. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“It’s just that I am leaving for London in a week and I think…” she took a breath as if bracing for impact. “Dan I don’t want to be in a long distance relationship.” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“But I am moving to Manchester after graduation, I can’t… oh.” Well. It was Dan’s heart that actually hit the ground at that moment. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“I’m sorry. I really do like you a lot and maybe if this was different I would have liked to be in a relationship with you.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“I thought we were in a relationship.” He said quietly. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Oh come on, we are still so young. Don’t you want to meet new people when you will be in Manchester?” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Dan thought she knew him better than that. When had he ever wanted to meet new people. “Yeah… totally.” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“I really like you Dan, but this is uni. I think it would be unfair to both of us to be tied with someone who is not even in the same city.” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Ok, I understand.” He didn’t. But he also didn’t want to make a scene over this. Of course she chose a public place to say that. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“But we will stay friends, right?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Of course” what else was he supposed to say here. No don’t leave me?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> “Listen, let’s make a pact.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“What?” What. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Yeah, a pact. If we are both still single by the time we are 30, we will meet up again and try this once more.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“What, like a safety marriage kind of thing?” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Kinda. Well maybe not marriage, but, you know a relationship. We will meet up and try this for real.” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Dan had to have way more time to process this whole conversation, but Lea was waiting. And he would have a whole decade to process this apparently. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“So is it a deal?” she said, taking his hand in hers. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Yea, sure. A deal.” He said squeezing her hand and holding all of his emotions back for a bit later.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dan was still in his bed staring at the message.</p>
<p>So he had conveniently procrastinated processing that idiotic deal for the whole 11 years and now it was staring him right in the face.</p>
<p>He of course could just ignore the message and forget about it all. But then again, the curiosity was ignited now and he could feel it in his bones.</p>
<p>What would it be like, meeting her?</p>
<p>It was kind of embarrassing to admit that his most meaningful romantic relationship had been Lea – his high school sweetheart.</p>
<p>Dan had somehow survived all of his 20s with one night stands and flings. And Phil. Phil who was a friend. But also the most meaningful relationship in his life. How was he supposed to process all of this right now?</p>
<p>So he was curious to meet her. Ok. He could go and do that, right? It wouldn’t mean anything, just a coffee between… friends? Exes? What were they to each other even?</p>
<p>Ugh he really didn’t want to deal with this on his birthday. He could hear Phil in the kitchen, probably making Dan’s birthday breakfast/lunch. Just because Phil was lovely like that. And Dan would eat whatever it was that Phil had concocted and it would make him happy. He just wanted his dose of happy right now.  </p>
<p>He had procrastinated dealing with this for years, what’s one more day?</p>
<p>With that thought he got out of the bed, left his phone on the bed and the message unanswered.</p>
<p>And he went to join Phil in the kitchen.</p>
<p>Maybe if he got there fast enough, the food would be actually edible.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The resemblance to that August day 11 years ago was uncanny.</p>
<p>Café. A table just outside of the sunlight. Lea.</p>
<p>Dan didn’t recognize her when his gaze slid over the room for the first time. Then she lifted her eyes from the phone and yeah. There she was. Beautiful as ever.</p>
<p>Well no way to go now but forward. He had made his bed when he texted her back and agreed to meet up. He walked over to where she was sitting.</p>
<p> “Hey” she said, smiling.</p>
<p>“Hi, almost didn’t recognize you” he smiled back.</p>
<p>“That bad, huh?” she teased.</p>
<p>He shook his head. “No, not bad at all.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When the coffees had been ordered and the first small talk over, an awkwardness set in.</p>
<p> “So how have you been?” she asked, turning all of her attention to him. He had forgotten how intense her attention could be. He used to feel so interesting and attractive under that gaze. Lea could make you feel like the most enthralling person in the entire world.</p>
<p>“You know, working and stuff.” Dan shook his head. “Sorry, it’s hard to put 7 years into one coherent sentence.”</p>
<p> “Listen, I know this is all kinda nuts.” She said, laughing nervously.</p>
<p>“Yeah a bit.” He agreed. “But then again you were always like that.”</p>
<p>“What, a bit nuts?” she asked chuckling. “Yeah I guess I still am.”</p>
<p>“You look great, by the way.” Dan said awkwardly. He didn’t know what to say, how to act. Was this like a date? Or just old friends catching up? Did he even want this to be a date at all?</p>
<p>“Thanks, I have embraced the natural ginger as you can see.” She shook her hair. “I see that you are embracing the natural curl as well, huh?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I guess my emo days are over, contrary to what my Spotify playlists would suggest.”</p>
<p>She laughed again and Dan was transported back to the time when he used to hear that laughter every day.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Before coming here, Dan hadn’t known what to expect. And now in the middle of it, he still didn’t know what he did expect from meeting Lea. The conversation ran pleasantly enough, about Lea’s career (painter), about Dan’s failed attempt at being a lawyer and the more successful attempt at being a radio DJ, about their families, about old school friends, about the decade of life they had missed in each other’s lives.  </p>
<p>It wasn’t much, but it definitely was a solid start. A start to what though?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Thank you for showing up.” She said, when they exited the café. “I didn’t think you would actually say yes.”</p>
<p>“To meeting up?” Dan asked, surprised.</p>
<p> She nodded.</p>
<p>“Why?”</p>
<p>“Because I thought you had someone. You were such an awesome guy back then and I can see that you are still an awesome guy.”</p>
<p>“Why did you break up with me then?” God it sounded more bitter than he wanted it to. That’s what you get for bottling up your feelings for 10 years – it all bursts out the moment you touch it, like a shitty champagne bottle.  </p>
<p>“Dan I was 19” She sighed. “I was 19 and London seemed like this fairytale land where all my dreams would come true. Where I would be so independent and so social and I would find the best guy. There probably would be better guys, right? Well turns out that there actually aren’t. You were and I hope still are one of the good ones, Dan Howell.”</p>
<p>He didn’t know what to say to that. He hadn’t wanted to ruin the pleasant atmosphere of the afternoon. What was he supposed to say though?</p>
<p>“So I get that this is a lot. You probably had already forgotten about that stupid deal. But I would like to get to know you again. I had fun today.” She said, after a bit of silence on his part.</p>
<p>“Yeah, me too.” He answered mechanically.</p>
<p>“So I will see you around?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, sure.” He said.</p>
<p>“Ok, bye then!” she said, a sparkle in her eyes.</p>
<p>“Bye!” he said doing a stupid hand wave at her. It came out even more awkward than he thought it would, but at the same time he didn’t want to hug her or anything. At least not yet.</p>
<p>He turned around and decided to walk for at least a couple of blocks to clear his head before getting to the tube or catching a taxi.</p>
<p>This whole thing was giving him a headache. Lea was still just as captivating if not more as she was back then. And still just as beautiful. Dan was sure they could hit it off, if they would actually start this again.</p>
<p>The thing was Dan wasn’t so sure he wanted to. First there was the whole thing where she dumped him before and disappeared from his life completely a couple of years later.</p>
<p>And now she had re-entered it, just as easily.</p>
<p>Life had been so uncomplicated before. The life he shared with Phil, for the last 5 years actually sharing an apartment. The life Lea wasn’t a part of at all. And he hadn’t missed her in it either and didn’t know if he wanted to introduce her to it now.</p>
<p>And Phil… The most uncomplicated part of his life. Uncomplicated unless he thought about it. And he had always avoided thinking about it.</p>
<p>And now he had to.</p>
<p>He had a lot to think about.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you liked this little tidbit of getting to know Dan (and Lea) a bit more.<br/>Kudos and comments are deeply appreciated!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I hope you liked this little introduction to the characters and my attempts at creating the tone for this story. </p>
<p>Thank you for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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